Okami Tantei
by voodoo-coffee
Summary: The Spirit Gate, enigmatic structure of the North, sends Amaterasu to another time and place. Now the Reikai Tantei have to deal with a goddess on the loose! yuyu/okami crossover; no pairings.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes: Hello, ! Welcome to the first chapter of my first story! That being said, it's probably not be up to par with many other stories on this site. I know I'm not the best writer around, and  
being an author is definitely not my first choice on the job list. But! I've always wanted to gather my thoughts enough to write _something_, even if it really sucks_. _This means I invite everyone to completely tear this apart with critiques. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

Rating: T for safety.

Fandom: Okami/Yu Yu Hakusho crossover.

Pairing(s): None.

Warning(s): None, for now.

Disclaimer: I, voodoo-coffee, claim no ownership to either Okami nor Yu Yu Hakusho. They are copyrighted to Capcom (and Clover Studios), and Yoshihiro Togashi, respectively.

Chapter One: The Journey Begins

In a forest darkened by storms and evil, two figures could be made out in the gloom. They were Amaterasu, the powerful sun goddess in the form of a white wolf covered in divine red markings, and Issun, pint-sized Poncle warrior/artist hitching along for the ride. They stood in front of an old, stone edifice reminiscent of a doorway. The slab was called the Spirit Gate, and was said to have existed since the age of myths. The two had just barely managed to traverse the treacherous inner workings of Yoshpet, cursed forest of the Northern Lands to get to it.

"Well, Ammy... we should probably go in... who knows _what _we'll find on the other side." the smaller companion said.

'Ammy', never one for words, nodded her lupine head slightly and let Issun jump off her cranium and onto the forever snow-covered ground. He unsheathed his toothpick of a sword and prepared himself.

"Stand back, Ammy!"

With that warning, he jumped high and sliced the inner edges of the door, the friction causing it to glow red. The gate slowly opened, the inside glowing brighter as it did.

"You know, I'm starting to have second thoughts about this... I - Wait! Ammy!"

As soon as Issun had began to show doubt in his words, Amaterasu sprung into action, giving him no chance to back out fully. She leapt forward, picking him up by his cape in her teeth and bounding through the Spirit Gate, sealing their fate - whatever it may be.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the Reikai, a tired toddler tyrant sits at his desk behind stacks upon stacks of paperwork. He worked as fast as he could, but the stacks never seemed to get smaller. It was obvious that he was loosing his patience along with his sanity. Just as the piles seemed to shrink ever-so-slightly, his blue skinned demon assistant George walked in with another armful and dumped it on the weakening desk.

"More paperwork for you to sign, sir." George sated. He prepared himself for the predicted outburst by bracing himself and putting his hands over his ears. The toddler began seething, and if one looked hard enough, one might say they could see steam shooting from his ears. He finally burst with a great shout, letting his frustrations be known to all in hearing range. The toddler in question was not really a toddler, but the son of the King of Spirit World: Koenma. Now that his father, King Enma, was away on business, he was left to run Spirit World on his own and he was _not. Happy. _This wasn't the first time he was put in charge, but that didn't make it any easier. There was always a mountain of paperwork and reports to complete, and the work never seemed to slow down.

"I need another vacation" Koenma groaned, exasperated.

* * *

Issun was the first to wake. He sat up, groggily wiping at his eyes. He sat dazed for a moment, before his memories came back with the force of a charging ox. He scrambled and stuttered when he realized he was on the ground instead of a furry coat. When he finally was able to stand on his own two feet, Issun looked around wildly, calming as soon as he found the sleeping wolf goddess. He bounced over to her, quickly looking her over for any injuries. When he confirmed that she was healthy, he moved to her ear to try and wake her up.

"Ammy? Ammy, wake up. Don't make me jump on your face!" He threatened. Slowly, she began to stir, her ears twitching and eyes opening as she awoke. She lifted her head, and after finding Issun at the end of her nose, began to survey her surroundings. They were still in a forest, though it held a considerably lighter atmosphere than Yoshpet. Sounds of activity could be heard from far away; there must be a city nearby. The pair were confused; is this where the Spirit Gate really needed them to be? Issun and Amaterasu looked at each other, both wondering the same question, though only one voiced it:

"Where the heck are we, furball?"

* * *

Author's Notes: Well, what do you think? Decent, satisfactory, or utter failure? And, I hate to ask this, but since I've no idea how to continue after the two parties meet, I'd like to ask for advice, suggestions, or ideas on how to continue. Please?

Thank you for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes: GAAHHH! Sorry people who have probably gotten an alert like three times! I've just been messing up on the timing of the upload process! You can probably tell I'm a newbie at this. Okay, now that I've totally convinced everyone out there that I'm an incompetent spazz, I'd like to introduce the second chapter of Okami Tantei! As you can see, it's a little longer than the first chapter. I hope you like it!

Rating: T

Fandom: Okami/Yu Yu Hakusho crossover.

Pairing(s): None.

Warning(s): A few swear words.

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

Chapter Two: The Search for the Source

"Koenma, sir! An urgent report just came in." One of Spirit World's ferrywomen, a slim woman with a bobbed haircut, burst into Koenma's office holding said report.

"Can't it wait? I'm still trying to finish what I've got here." the small ruler grumbled, not stopping in his work.

"I'm sorry sir, but I was told to make sure you saw it immediately." she replied, handing over the report to him. The toddler sighed, then took the paper and began scanning over it while the ferrywoman waited patiently. Slowly Koenma's eyes widened , his expression changing from annoyance to alarm as he read on.

"When did this report come in?" he urged the woman, looking up at her.

"About seventeen minutes ago, sir." she answered. Koenma paused, looking back down at the paper. He looked over to his right, where George stood.

"Get Yusuke on the line; we've got another job for him," he handed the report back to the ferrywoman, "Thank you." She bowed slightly, took the report and turned back for the door. A silence remained in the room as Koenma sat back down in his chair looking pensive. George shifted uncomfortably beside him, wondering what was going on.

"Koenma, sir? What was in the report? If you don't mind me asking." the demon asked.

"There was a huge power surge recorded in the Human World in the city where Yusuke lives. Something big showed up before the energy disappeared, or was masked. Either way, something big is now loose in the Ningenkai, and our Detectives must track it down and destroy it if necessary." Koenma replied. He wore the expression of utmost solemnity as he continued: "Whatever gave off that energy must be extremely powerful. I shudder to think of the damage this thing could do."

* * *

"Dangit, furball, stop messing around! You can feed all the little animals later when we figure out just where the heck we are!" Issun scolded his four-legged friend. As soon as she had been able to, Amaterasu stretched, yawned, and began exploring her surroundings. Issun had been patient up to a certain point, and as soon as he began to try to convince her to move on, little animals started approaching her. At first it was a few song birds, then rabbits, deer, squirrels, and various reptiles gathered. Issun's increasingly frustrated pleas for progress went unheard to the goddess's ears. She delighted in the company; feeding the birds, frolicking with the rabbits, anything to distract herself from the Poncle trying to get her attention. Issun, glowing red with anger, finally fed up with being ignored. He bounded to Amaterasu, jumping on her nose and looking her right in the eye.

"Stop feeding them Ammy! We've got to figure out where the Spirit Gate sent us! What if we're here for a reason?! Someone might need our help!" he reasoned. Amaterasu stared at him for a second, considering his words before rolling her eyes and rising from her haunches. She turned and took a few steps forward before pausing and sniffing the air. Her ears twitched as she heard the faint sounds of activity, though the loud noises were unfamiliar to her. She cocked her head to the side, trying to figure out what the confusing din was. Issun, pleased that they were at least starting to move on, was thinking along the same lines as his wolfy companion.

"Yeah, you hear that too? That isn't something I've heard in any city before. Feel like a side adventure, pal?" the small artist questioned. His partner huffed in agreement and began to walk in the direction of the noise. Issun laughed, "Heh, me too. Leap before you think, right?"

* * *

"Dammit, why did something have to come up _now_? I'm really gettin' sick of jumping every time that stupid baby calls!"

Yusuke Urameshi, Spirit Detective and general delinquent, was walking down the large hall leading to Prince Koenma's office, none too happy about being interrupted from his daily life. Surrounding him were his coworkers Kurama, ex-demon thief turned human, Hiei, forbidden child of the Koorime, and Kuwabara, Yusuke's long time rival and recent friend. Three out of the group calmly strolled down the corridor while their irritable leader stomped and ranted the entire way. Though they could all guess why they were being summoned, they didn't remind Yusuke. They finally reached the entrance and opened the doors, George leading them the rest of the way down the large room to the Prince's desk. Koenma was once again doing paperwork, obviously disgruntled at the situation. The four detectives stepped up to his desk and Yusuke, even more impatient now that he was here, immediately demanded:

"Alright, you pacifier-sucking brat! What do you want from us _this_ time?!"

Koenma, used to the frequent outbursts, paused briefly to regard his 'employee'.

"Getting right to the point as usual, eh, Yusuke? Very well. Approximately thirty minutes ago, a large burst of spiritual pressure was detected near your city, Yusuke. I'm sure you yourselves felt it, so you can guess why we want this possible threat tracked down. You will begin this mission immediately, if not sooner." It was true; they _had_ felt the huge power burst and knew there was a potential threat behind it. So, being uncharacteristically silent, they turned from the desk and left the way they came. Now that they were out of earshot of Koenma, they spoke amongst themselves, devising a game plan.

"Alright Kurama, Hiei. You're the demon experts here; any idea what we're up against?" Yusuke asked.

"I'm afraid I didn't recognize the energy at all. I'm as in the dark as you are." Kurama answered.

"Though whatever it is, I can guarantee it's at least a B class. It's going to take a lot of power to subdue it in the least." Hiei added. "Probably shouldn't bring Baka here with us, he'll only slow us down." he continued.

"Hey! Kiss my ass, runt!" Kuwabara (said baka) retorted.

"Such language, Kuwabara!" With that reprimand Botan made her presence known. She swooped down on her oar and dropped just behind them.

"Botan! What are you doing here? Gonna come with us?" Yusuke questioned.

"Nope. I'm here to give you some of your supplies. You're going to need them to track the disturbance." she explained. "We've managed to find the faintest of trails of the energy it left behind. You'll follow it using the new and improved Demon Compass. And here's your old concentration ring, just in case." She handed the items to Yusuke. "Well, that's it! I've got to get back to work!" and with that, she hopped back onto her oar and bid them farewell. The Spirit Detectives watched her go, mildly surprised at her quick departure.

"Soooo..." Yusuke ventured, "any guesses on how ugly this thing'll be?"

* * *

Amaterasu, using a little foresight, decided not to try and stick out like a sore thumb. The misplaced goddess travelled in the shadows, observing the new world with awe. She had never seen buildings so tall, never seen so many people in one place. This place the Spirit Gate sent her too was huge and frightening, but she wanted to see more. Issun was equally shocked, he hadn't said a word since they first entered the city. The roads were dangerous; the monstrosities the humans controlled were fast and they were almost killed by one before they even made it in. Amaterasu paused in her movements, finding a secluded alley to watch the never ending activity in the narrow opening unnoticed.

"Boy Ammy, this sure isn't like home, is it?" Issun breathed. The sun goddess whuffed in agreement. This place was so... crazy! She wanted to know more about the people here, she wanted to explore every inch of this world! Everyone was so busy, they never stopped moving. She felt excitement welled up in her chest. Maybe this wasn't going to be such a bad trip after all! The goddess wilted slightly; she remembered the duties she had back at home. No matter how fascinating this world was, she couldn't abandon them. She had to face her destiny with Yami, god of darkness.

The wolf was jerked from her thoughts when she sensed something drawing near. Issun, who had been standing in the middle of the red circle on Amaterasu's head, was almost thrown off from her sudden movement.

"Hey! What's the big idea-" he noticed how tense she had become, "What is it Ammy? Ya feel something?" Amaterasu did, in fact, feel something. It was still a ways off, but if she could sense it from where she was, she knew it was strong. She raised her nose to the air; yes, she knew now... demons. At least two. And...(she sniffed again) … humans? No, not just humans... these felt different. She had to investigate, whoever they were. Amaterasu lowered her head and emitted a soft growl.

"Itchin' for some action, huh furball?" Issun situated himself better on her head. "Well then, let's go find some!"

* * *

"Oh, this isn't good." Yusuke warned. "According to this, the whatever-it-is is in the city."

"Well, I can't hear any screams of terror. So it hasn't done anything yet." Hiei stated.

"Let's make sure it stays that way." said Kurama.

"Yeah! I haven't had a good fight in a while." Kuwabara declared.

"Kuwabara, we can't fight it in the open." the red-head reminded him.

"We'll just lead it to somewhere more private, then."

"Let's just wing it like we always do!" Yusuke exclaimed before all four quieted down upon entering the city. They continued in silence, subtly looking around while Yusuke checked the Demon Compass, cleverly disguised as a watch, strapped to his wrist. All followed the the needle as it pointed them to the source of the power surge. When the compass began leading them to a less populated part of the city, Yusuke, intrigued, thought, 'Hmm. Maybe we don't have to lead it anywhere after all.' He was correct; the compass led them through the city and into an empty field with no one in sight. Yet as they walked more into the center of the field the compass started spinning wildly and they could sense a presence in the area.

The detectives waited for a moment before Yusuke shouted, "Hey! We know you're here, so why don't you make this easier and show yourself!" His only response was the wind picking up slightly. Knowing their adversary was in the area wether or not it answered back, they stood their ground, prepared to face their enemy head on.

* * *

Amaterasu was confused. This was not what she had expected. They clearly gave off strong waves of powerful energy, but no demon she had ever faced looked like they did. This was why, when they entered the field she had chosen as she watched from her perch in one of the few trees in the area, she hesitated. Issun was thinking along the same line when he addressed his lupine companion:

"Well Ammy? What do we do?" Only a few seconds of silence had passed after the question when who Amaterasu had guessed was their leader made his challenge heard.

"Sounds like they're ready. You thought about it enough?" The sun god whuffed. Issun smiled. "Gonna take it easy on them? You're such a softie, furball." Amaterasu snorted, her equivalent to a chuckle, then sombered up and took her fighting stance. Issun drew his sword and readied himself as well. This was going to be one interesting fight.

* * *

Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, and Kuwabara all started when a loud roar echoed through the air. It seemed to be coming from everywhere at once, and all four looked around wildly for the source with no luck.

"I guess it heard us." Kuwabara muttered. The boys were on guard; Kurama prepared his rose whip, Kuwabara summoned his Spirit Sword, Yusuke gathered energy for his Spirit Gun, and Hiei drew his katana. Suddenly their attention was drawn to a tree to their right as a spot in between it's branches glowed white. From beneath the leaves a figure jumped high into the air and landed in front of them. As the details of the form became clearer, they took pause as a brilliant white canine with odd markings and features, one of which was a rotating fiery shield hovering above it's back, materialized from the radiant light snarling at them. But they didn't let their guard down long, and they pointed their respective weapons at the growling beast before Yusuke spoke.

"So you're the thing that's causing so much commotion? Tch, you don't look so tough. But Koenma says I've gotta bring you in. So, are you gonna come quietly?" The wolf snarled in response. "I guess that's a no. All right, bring it on, flea bag."

* * *

Author's Notes: Now to think of the next chapter and write the fight scene. I suck at fight scenes. If this sounds like it has no plot, it has an idea, but I'm mostly just making this up as I go along. So if this sucks more than it does now in the future, that's why. Reviews and advice encouraged! Thank you for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Notes: Hi... Sorry it took me so long to upload something new. I thought I'd have more time to write on my winter break, but I got caught up in the holidays and other projects. Anyways, I'd like to thank everyone for the kind words and advice! I'll answer a few of your reviews at the end of the chapter.

Rating: T

Fandom: Okami/Yu Yu Hakusho crossover

Pairing(s): None

Warning(s): Mild swearing

Disclaimer: See first chapter

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Chapter Three: Fight

Amaterasu wasted no time in her attack. The wolf leapt for the closest body, the black haired male with his fingers held in a mock firing position, and slammed her head into his abdomen. Yusuke, not expecting the speed at which the wolf attacked, was knocked back onto his rear. Momentarily stunned at his rookie mistake, he thought, "_Lucky shot" _and quickly hopped back on his feet to assist his teammates. The white-furred goddess landed in the middle of the loose circle of her enemies and paused, looking them over quickly. They in turn hesitated as well, waiting for her next move.

Amaterasu tensed, growled, and flung the fiery reflector from her back almost faster than the four males could follow. But they managed to doge the attack, though the fire from the wolf's signature weapon managed to surprise them slightly. As all four of her opponents landed on their feet, she summoned the power of the divine wind to her aide, the Galestorm so strong it lifted them off their feet. Amaterasu used the wind again, this time summoning a powerful whirlwind to force her foes further into the air. As they flailed in the sky, trying to make sense of what was happening, the wolf called forth a tree under her feet, which quickly grew skyward. She leapt from the tree's branch just as it disappeared to meet her foes in battle. As the Celestial Brush's effect wore off and they began falling to the ground, the wolf traded her reflector for the Exorcism Beads, whipping them at the orange-haired male.

Kuwabara was harshly torn from his confusion-induced stupor as the rosary slashed at him. His yells of pain were enough to pull his companions from their daze and sprang into action. Kurama was the first to react:

"Two could play at that game", he thought, before unravelling his favorite weapon and slashing it at the wolf. The goddess dodged the attack, but not before getting a gash on her shoulder. She twisted in the air and directed her next assault on the red-head, who expertly avoided it. As all five landed on the ground, Hiei unsheathed his katana and leapt for the animal while Kurama began another barrage. But despite their lightning-fast onslaught, they just couldn't land a solid hit! The mysterious beast would counter their moves with techniques they had never seen before: Hiei's sword would be deflected by an invisible force, Kurama's whip was burned by a fireball that appeared out of nowhere, she dodged and ducked as fast as they attacked, and the wolf switched weapons repeatedly!

Meanwhile, Yusuke quickly checked on the injured Kuwabara. When he saw that the wounds were shallow and the tall teenager was alright, merely stunned, ("Back off, Urameshi, I'm freaking fine!") and perfectly capable of attitude, he looked towards the ensuing battle.

"Woah. This thing is actually giving those two a challenge. This might be harder than we first thought." Yusuke noted.

"What kind of a demon could have this kind of power? I've never heard of any others being able to do something like this." Kuwabara wondered.

"You could hop in any time, you know!!" Hiei yelled, deflecting a blow from the white wolf's glaive. Suddenly reminded that their teammates were in danger, they joined the fray, all four once again surrounding the creature. But she wasn't about to let them get the upper hand. Just as the four males dove forward in attack formation, three large, rounded bombs with lit fuses appeared out of nowhere around the white beast. As the boys skidded to a halt the bombs exploded in succession knocking them away from their mark. When the smoke and confetti cleared the white-furred creature targeted Yusuke, almost skewering him with the charmed blade on her back. She swung the green-tinted sword at the Sprit Detective, and he evaded each blow. However, the snow colored animal was determined, and managed to nick the boy on his chest. But she could not dwell on this small victory for long, for the small wound compelled Yusuke to push himself and he managed to punch forward and strike the wolf in the face.

She fell back, surprised by the contact, but came to just in time to evade an orange colored Spirit Sword wielded by another foe. She snapped her teeth, clearly becoming frustrated, and jumped at him with her teeth bared. She fell back on her lupine instincts, biting and thrashing at the tall male before her. Kuwabara in turn sidestepped and dodged the assailment as best he could until she finally got close enough and pulled a backflip, kicking him in the face. The force of the blow disarmed him long enough for her to leap forward, grab a mouthful of his clothes in her teeth and throw him back at his friends, hitting them.

This pattern continued for a while; Amaterasu moving forward with her Divine weapons and Celestial brush, and the Reikai Tantei pushing back with determination and will. After what seemed like forever, they paused yet again with the white wolf on one side of the field and the four boys on the other. Both teams were beginning to show signs of tire, but neither was willing to give up. Issun, who had been desperately clutching his companion's fur, leaned down and whispered into his friend's pointed ear:

"You okay, Ammy?" he asked. Amaterasu whuffed tiredly in response. "Listen, I know you're gettin' a little frustrated, but we need them alive so we can ask them questions later. Got it?" Amaterasu again replied with a whuff. She took a moment more to gather her wits and was about to jump back into action when the leader of the opposing team addressed her:

"Hey, fleabag!" Yusuke called. He and his team had had a silent conversation composed of knowing looks during the momentary pause. They knew this creature was unlike any they had faced before. It had given off a unique power reading, did no harm to anyone in the crowded city, and used bizarre attacks that made absolutely no sense. The four concluded that talking to this creature might reveal useful information as to what it wanted, or at least it gave them some time to devise a new strategy.

"Maybe we were a little quick to the draw back there. You're different than what we expected here. We didn't even introduce ourselves. I'm Yusuke Urameshi, Spirit Detective and all around badass."

Amaterasu rolled her eyes.

"I am Shuichi Minamino, better known as Kurama, ex-demon thief." the red-head, Kurama, stated.

"And I'm Kazuma Kuwabara, the second toughest punk at Sarayashki Junior High, and defender of the weak and helpless!" the goofy tall male proudly declared. The goddess relaxed slightly. This could take a while. She looked over to the shortest member of the group. He looked at her briefly, then looked away.

"Hnn. Hiei."

Yusuke Urameshi turned back to the wolf, a cocky grin on his face.

"So. You know all our names now. You gonna introduce yourself?" he asked half-sarcastically, almost certain that the beast couldn't speak. Much to his surprise, a loud voice answered him from the vicinity of the animal:

"Yeah we are! This here is Amaterasu, Goddess of the Sun wielder of the Celestial Brush! And I'm Issun, wandering artist and swordsman! And we've got some questions that _you're_ gonna answer!!" The Detective's attention was drawn to a previously unnoticed little glowing dot atop the wolf's head. It bounced down from the beast and landed on the grass in front of them before hopping closer to the fighters, and continued its rant.

"We've come _all_ this way, fighting oversized snakes, evil fox-headed wenches, all _sorts_ of random imps and demons only to have to jump through that damned _Spirit Gate_, which dumped us in some crazy backwards _NIGHTMARE!!_" By this point the bug-sized man blazed red, clearly annoyed at not getting any answers. Somewhere during that tirade, Amaterasu sat down. She needed a short rest. Issun continued raging: "And while we traipse through this loud and weird smelling place of WEIRDNESS, _you_ show up and _fight us!!_" With his rant finished, Issun's color changed from bright red to his normal green and he sighed. The four males continued listening, shocked into silence. "So instead of trying to kill us," Issun continued as calmly as he could, "could you just answer a few of our questions?"

------

Author's Notes: Sorry if the fight is hard to follow and sounds messy. On to the reviews!

~t.m.p.a.: I know, it's kinda why I wanted to write this in the first place. I'm not saying its a bad thing, I thought the story "_The Long Howl_" did it beautifully in my opinion, but it never really felt like Okami to me. Plus I don't like any pairings in Okami except for Susano/Kushi. (Sooo cute!)

~Alex Warlorn: Thank you for the advice! I think that if they continued to fight it would be pretty even for a while, but eventually Ammy would overpower them. But not hurt them.

And to anyone still wondering about any pairings: I'm sorry, but I really don't like many pairings in Okami, and I'm not going to change Amaterasu into a human. So if any romance _does_ show up, it'll only be very very light and canon. Like Yusuke/Keiko. _Maybe_. Alright, I hope everyone liked it! Reviews and comments appreciated! I'm off to write the fourth chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

_Authors Notes: Sorry for the spotty updates everyone. I still am _literally_ making this up as I go along. So that's why the writing sounds clumsy and the plot is hard to follow. If you can find a plot at all. Also! In the middle of writing the third chapter, I realized I forgot all about Oki! Soooo... for the time being, he's now in Kamiki Village 100 years in the past, like in the game. The Spirit Gate is a time machine! It totally works!_

Rating: T

Fandom: Okami/Yu Yu Hakusho crossover

Pairing(s): None

Warning(s): Mild swearing

Disclaimer: See first chapter

Chapter Four: Delicate Understanding

Moments passed in silence following Issun's outburst and weary inquiry. The Reikai Tantei had no idea what to do. The strange beings before them could be lying. But they had never seen techniques like that wielded by a creature like this. Still, suspicions aside, Koenma wanted them brought in.

"We need to discuss this amongst ourselves for a moment, if you please." Kurama hesitantly stated, reading his teammates minds. The four males gathered together and began to discuss.

Issun sighed and turned back to his divine friend. "I don't think they believe us, Ammy." Amaterasu whined in response.

"How do we know they're telling the truth?" Kuwabara questioned.

"We don't. That's the problem." Hiei replied.

"Although they _did _exhibit some unusual abilities. Perhaps there is at least a kernel of truth to their words." Kurama added.

As the team continued their debate, Issun returned to his post atop the sun goddess' head. "I hope everyone back in Nippon is holding out okay." he mused quietly. Amaterasu softly whined again in response. Meanwhile, Yusuke and Co. were coming to an agreement of what to do with their visitors.

"Whoever they are, let's just play along for now and take them to Koenma. Maybe we'll find out their game on the way. And if they try anything, then we kick their asses." Yusuke concluded. With that they broke their formation and turned back to the wolf and the Poncle. "Alright, we believe your story. For now." He took a few steps forward. "But we need you to come with us to see our boss, Koenma. He's the one that sent us in the first place." With that, he motioned for the odd couple to follow him. Amaterasu and Issun hesitated. They looked at one another, each thinking along the same lines: 'Can we trust them? ...Do we have a choice?' Resolve made its way into their minds. The duo straightened up and walked towards the four males. After all, this was what they wanted, right?

* * *

As soon as they began their trek to try and contact Spirit World, the Detectives fanned out in a loose circle formation around the two outsiders with Yusuke in the lead, much to their chagrin. They were walking around hoping to run into Botan again by chance, as that was prone to happen, because they discovered shortly after they had reached a tenuous ceasefire that their equipment had been damaged (Again. The guys who fix these things are _not_ going to be happy.). Everyone was thoroughly confused; the items were supposed to be able to withstand fights like that, especially if they were just on the sidelines. Eventually, they were able to figure out that Amaterasu's unique aura overloaded the objects when she stepped forward in curiosity and the rest of the equipment frizzed and failed. Nevertheless, the wolf adapted and continued doing her godly deeds as they walked. Birds gathered and tweeted around her, giving her thanks before flying off again. Stray cats nuzzled noses with her and played at her feet, occasionally swatting at an indignant Issun. Even rats would peek out of their hiding places to give her praise as she passed.

"Well, it's nice _someone_ appreciates us here." Issun commented. The sun goddess ignored him and planted flowers in a rather sad patch of grass.

* * *

As the pint-sized warrior babbled on and the wolf continued painting, the Reikai Tantei wondered just what the hell was going on. First, the horrible beast that had Koenma in a tiff at first came off as exactly what he was afraid of. Now that same beast was frolicking with every small animal they came across and, from the way the wolf looked at a spot on the ground and poof! instant foliage, could be a gardeners best friend. No, this was not making much sense at all. And the boys were running out of ideas. With their remaining equipment broken, they had to hoof it to a suitable meeting place, slowly loosing hope of seeing the ferrywoman, and quietly pondered where to go next. Genkai's temple seemed the only logical choice, and they altered their course towards the woman's abode. Time passed slowly as they traveled along the outskirts of the city, still not trusting the duo enough to let them near normal humans, despite their... odd behavior.

The six made their way to the old master's home, winding through the thick forest and up the many steps, all the while hoping she could help them contact Koenma. Finally, they reached the impressive wood door to the temple, Yusuke reaching up to knock and calling to her.

"Open up Grandma, we need to talk" the delinquent yelled knowing that she would recognize his aura. For a moment, there was silence, then a gravelly voice answered back

"The _hell_ do you want, Yusuke?" With that exclamation, the entrance opened and revealed a very angry looking woman. She looked at each detective in the face before her eyes settled on the now interested creature in the middle of the four boys. Genkai paused and locked eyes with the pale beast, and the beast in turn did the same. They studied each other for a few moments before the old master spoke again, never breaking her gaze.

"Why did you bring this animal here?" She walked past Yusuke, closer to the white wolf, and stopped only a foot away from her. The creature, still not looking away from Genkai, turned her head and opened her mouth in a well known dog-like smile, her tail slowly thumping against the stone ground. Since his teammates did not seem to be in the mood for words, Yusuke again spoke, laying the sarcasm thickly.

"It followed us home. Can we keep it?" He rolled his eyes. "Koenma felt this big burst of energy and sent us out to get it. We find this pooch, fight it, and break all our equipment. That's why we're here. Don't you have a way to contact Spirit World?" Genkai paused for a moment more before finally turning back to the entrance of her home and walking in, hands clasped behind her back.

"Come on, don't just stand there like idiots. Get inside."

* * *

Amaterasu liked this woman. She gave off an aura of power, one that commanded respect from those around her. She had even looked the goddess in the eye and did not back down like most would. The wolf inwardly (and outwardly, just a bit) smirked as they walked down the entry hall. This new world just kept getting more and more interesting.

* * *

Walking down the hall, the Detectives never broke their formation around the white beast, but now with Genkai leading the way. She led them to an open room and walked toward a simple table so they could talk. But she stopped halfway and turned around when she noticed they had hesitated, unsure of what action to take.

"Oh for Heaven's sake, you can stop being so uptight. She's not going to attack now." The woman turned back to the table and sat down. _'"She"?'_ Yusuke absently wondered. His teammates quickly looked to each other for confirmation, then warily walked around the wolf. She stood, watching them go, and then took a spot near Genkai. The others eventually found their seats in various places around the table, and were about to fully explain themselves when a familiar face walked in.

"Oh... Genkai? We have guests...?" Yukina asked, softly making herself known. Genkai smiled at the gentle girl.

"Ah, Yukina. I was just about to call you." She said.

"Oh!" The Ice Maiden looked around and recognized everyone in the room "Well, it's so nice to see you all! Would anyone like any tea?" Kuwabara, whose face had turned completely red upon seeing the girl, finally began his routine of love declarations.

"Beautiful Yukina!" He leapt in front of her and grasped her hands. "Tea made by your hands would be graced with utter perfection! Your talent is only surpassed by your beauty!" Most everyone else in the room heaved a mental sigh, with Hiei trying to maintain control in his seat. The lovestruck boy's outburst awoke Issun, who had been snoozing between his companion's shoulder blades under the warmth of the spinning disk since they entered the forest. He grunted, then climbed atop the wolf's head when he realized they weren't moving anymore. Looking around groggily, the bug-like artist did a double take when he saw the smiling Ice Maiden.

"Woah, a _babe!_" He squeaked, drooling over himself. He scrambled further up the sun goddess's head, preparing to make a leap of faith. Sensing that his antics might become more of a bother than it was worth, the goddess silenced Issun with her usual method. The squawk that escaped his tiny throat just before her jaws clamped shut alerted Yukina of Amaterasu's presence. She peered past the tall male in front of her and finally noticed that there was a furry, four-legged being in the room. The Ice Maiden's eyes widened slightly and she took a few curious steps around Kuwabara, hesitating momentarily before hurrying over to settle down in front of the white beast.

"What an adorable animal you are!" she cooed as she weaved her fingers through the wolf's thick mane. The other occupants of the room scratched their heads in bemusement while Yukina continued praising Amaterasu, who was clearly enjoying the attention. Genkai took a sip of her tea and addressed Yusuke in her usual manner.

"Hey dumbass, you might want to contact that boss of yours before he gets his diapers in a twist." She took another sip. "I've got a monitor in the other room, two doors down the hall. Go get it." Yusuke begrudgingly stood to retrieve the object. As he exited the room, Genkai laughed to herself. "Funny how he knows I'm talking to him, isn't it?" She glanced at the white wolf, the beast still in the lap of Yukina. "Your presence is going to cause quite a fuss, and you've got a lot of trouble brewing ahead, wolf, if my theories about you are correct." The addressed canine had already considered the possible consequences of her presence in this world, and the old woman's words only solidified her feelings further. The Spirit Gate sent her to this world because it needed her. She mentally sighed, then braced herself. Her quest in Nippon would just have to wait a little bit longer.

After all, Amaterasu thought, she was a goddess, a warrior, and most importantly, a caretaker. Who was she to pass up a cry for help?

* * *

_Author's Notes: Sorry for the weak ending there, I wasn't sure how to end the chapter. And again, really sorry about the gaps in updates guys. I made this chapter a little longer to make up for it though! This past semester was hell for me, and I had to really concentrate on it. Now finals are over, but I'm in a bit of a block. Luckily, I have a loose idea for a plot now, so during my summer break I'll be brainstorming and writing things out._

_And one more thing: I'm still surprised that people are still adding this story to their alerts and all. Thanks you guys, that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! Well, that's it, reviews and comments appreciated!_


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Notes: So yeah this is taking a lot longer than I thought it would. XD I started the next chapter pretty much right after this one, so it might come out quicker than the others. *knock on wood!*

Rating: T

Fandom: Okami/Yu Yu Hakusho crossover

Pairing(s): None

Warning(s): None

Disclaimer: See first chapter

Chapter 5: Services of a God

"So, Genkai, I take it you have some clues as to the identity of this being. Would you mind sharing your theories with us?" Kurama ventured, peering at the elderly woman with cautious curiosity. Genkai's gaze remained on the wolf. She had spit out her pint-sized companion and was half-listening to his emphatic rant with amusement written in her canine features. Sensing she was being watched, the white wolf turned her head and locked eyes with Genkai. It was almost like a silent conversation was being held between the two with the meeting of their eyes. The wolf gave a minute nod, as if giving approval to the old master's continuance. Genkai finally looked back to Kurama, but still did not part with her suspicions immediately.

"First I'd like to hear what your boss has to say about her. Then maybe I'll share." Just as Genkai finished Yusuke walked back with the monitor in arm. He placed it in front of his mentor, then sat down a few feet from her right, away from any possible thwacks she might be inclined to give him for any possible reason. Genkai reached forward and started up the machine while the other occupants of the room formed a rough half-circle around the device. Amaterasu, ever the omnipotent observer, chose to watch from Yukina's side, who sat behind the still tinkering Genkai. The old woman grumbled as she toyed with the settings until the screen cleared and a mildly ruffled Prince Koenma, in his toddler form, appeared sitting at his desk.

"Yes, Genkai? Do you need something?" His voice was marginally strained as he spoke. The prince noticed that she was not alone. "Are those my detectives? Why are you just sitting around? I told you to find the source of that energy spike!" Before he could really tear into them, he spotted the furry face of Amaterasu peeking out from over Yukina's shoulder. "...Genkai, I didn't know you were taking in strays."

"_This _is the source of that energy spike." Yusuke jerked a thumb in Amaterasu's direction. Her gaze never wavered, fascinated with the device in front of her. Koenma sat back, baffled. Then, voice incredulous, he repeated,

"_...This _is what we've been been going crazy over? Some dog? This has to be some kind of joke, Yusuke."

"Hey!" Issun had been behaving for the most part, aware that his furry companion was on edge and unwilling to tolerate too much snark from him. So he sat quietly atop Amaterasu's head, behind her ear, his green glow dulled. But there was no way he was going to let anyone, let alone this toddler, sass his friend Ammy. "Take a closer look, kid! This is Amaterasu, Goddess of the Sun, guardian of Kamiki Village!" his raucous voice rang out as he bounced on his perch. Koenma raised an eyebrow.

"Seems you have a bug problem as well, Genkai." he commented, causing Issun to seethe with renewed rage. But the prince did take the small being's counsel and leaned forward to inspect the white wolf. He studied her for a minute, then his face contorted in alarm. "No... It's... That's just a myth..." he muttered to himself. He caught his lapse and quickly brought himself back under control, though he was noticeably shaken. Clearing his throat, he said, "Hmm. Yes. Well, I'd like to see this wolf... Amaterasu... in person. I'll send Botan to pick you up. " And with that, Koenma ended the transmission. The group sat in contemplative silence around the blank screen. Genkai leaned back in her sitting position.

"As I suspected." She stated. The old master turned to Amaterasu and Issun. "It seems you two really are who you claim to be."

"Wait - You're seriously telling me that this mutt is really a _god?_" Yusuke exclaimed. Amaterasu narrowed her eyes at him and Issun flared crimson in annoyance.

"Gods aren't limited in form, _dimwit._" Genkai barked at him. "I was told that gods were once directly involved in the everyday lives of mortals here in the Human Realm, though they slowly faded away as humans became more advanced. I was also led to believe they were just stories. Myths." She raised a hand and placed it on Amaterasu's head, holding it there for a moment before stroking the soft fur. "They were said to have control over the elements: wind, fire, water, earth, sometimes even time itself bent to their will." she added, her voice sounding far off in thought. Again quiet filled the air, each person present processing the information and trying to form their own thoughts. Amaterasu looked around the room and at each of its occupants. She barked suddenly, not loudly, but enough to bring attention to herself. When all eyes laid on her, she shuffled and whuffed, impatient and frustrated by her inability to communicate her meaning. Issun, however, caught her drift.

"I think what Ammy's trying to say is that she's tired of waiting around! Let's go find that Botan chick we're supposed to meet!" He jumped up in determination, excited at the prospect of adventure. Amaterasu also bounced in joy, happy with the thought of finally getting answers and the chance of helping those in need. The detectives looked at each other, then nodded. They thanked Genkai for her help, and Yukina for her hospitality, Kuwabara's thanks being more enthusiastic, of course, and left the Temple in the same circled formation they arrived in.

Genkai leaned on the door frame and watched them go, increasingly disturbing thoughts filling her mind. _'What sort of new horror is about to rear that requires the services of a god?', s_he wondered.

* * *

A/N: That's all for now! Please, _please_ review if you liked it and/or have any critiques or suggestions!

p.s.: One more thing - did you guys get updates every time I went back to change something in an earlier chapter? Because if so I'm sorry!


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Notes: See full author's notes at the end of the chapter.

Rating: T

Fandom: Okami/Yu Yu Hakusho crossover

Pairing(s): None

Warning(s): Mild language

Disclaimer: See first chapter

* * *

Chapter 6: Ground Rules

Amaterasu and the Detectives arrived with Botan at the threshold of Spirit World without much incident, bar Issun's usual behavior upon meeting another lovely young lady of the world. As she stood before the entrance, however, Amaterasu felt a sort of apprehension at the thought of yet again entering such unfamiliar territory while lacking the proper preparation. This train of thought quickly came to a halt though, and she shook her head to rid herself of these ridiculous notions. She walked confidently forward with the group as the imposing door opened, head held high and proud. She was a goddess, for goodness sake! Why, what would Waka say if he could see her fretting over something like this? She had to be strong, if only for Issun, who had fallen into a worrisome silence as they drew near the imposing building.

"Don't you worry, Ammy," he assured suddenly, patting her head, "You can trust Denkomaru to back you up all the way," The white wolf knew the tiny toothpick of a sword could do no such thing, but his tone was genuine, and that comforted her. As the doors rumbled closed behind them, Botan addressed the group:

"We'll go straight to Koenma's office from here. He'll decide how to handle this situation. I'm afraid this is a very inopportune time for the arrival of unannounced guests. Things have been a little out of sorts ever since the Dark Tournament ended," In a slightly quieter voice she added, "...Plenty of cracks to slip through..."

"Well you don't have to worry about us slipping through any cracks, babe! We're not here to break your precious order. Just restore it," Issun boasted. Amaterasu rolled her eyes, but her spirits remained lifted by the Poncle's over-confidence.

"Yes, well, regrettably we can't take your word for it," the ferrywoman responded.

"So, what exactly is gonna happen here, Botan? We're going to see Koenma, and then what? Just... talk?" Yusuke asked. By now they were almost to the end of the expansive hallway.

"Well..." here Botan hesitated. "I don't want to alarm you," she addressed Amaterasu, "but things might get a little... tense. Prince Koenma might seem paranoid now, but we're only trying to be safe here."

The group reached the door separating the entry hall from the official office section. As Botan opened the doors, Kuwabara picked up on the ferrywoman's wording.

"What kind of methods? Is he gonna put her in a jail or something?"

"Leashing her might be more appropriate." Hiei butted in, always ready with a caustic comment. Botan was quick to stop the objections no doubt on the tip of Issun's tongue,

"Oh, no, nothing like that of course. Just a few precautions, maybe a few tests is all..." Her words trailed off as they opened the door to the bustling office floor. Their group of course received a few looks; rumors had already spread through the office like wildfire. As they headed to the door that would take them to Koenma's office, whispers followed and curious individuals paused in their work to inspect them. Each ogre would soon hurry back to their tasks however, as they knew the punishment for lollygagging was harsh. All members of the party; the Detectives, Botan, and especially Issun and Amaterasu were apprehensive of the attention. Amaterasu continued feigning confidence, and the others carried on to their destination.

The long hall gradually shortened to just the ornate door leading to Koenma. Botan did not knock, but it seemed she didn't need to, for after a moment's waiting the doors slid open on their own. There in the center of the room, sitting at his desk, was the Prince of Spirit World, still looking tense, framed by two armed guards, with his trusted advisor George standing behind him.

"Prince Koenma," Botan greeted as she and the others entered the room fully, door closing behind them, "Meet Okami Amaterasu." She stepped aside, revealing Amaterasu to the heir of Spirit World. "Amaterasu, this is Prince Koenma, acting ruler of Spirit World." Sensing she needed to make an impression, the goddess took a step forward and stood tall. A breeze from nowhere gently wafted through the room, accompanied with the soft scent of nature, and the glow of her aura gradually grew brighter and brighter as her trusty reflector flared, until it all suddenly died down along with the breeze.

Issun whispered in her ear, "Heh, you trying to show off, Ammy?" He looked around, "I think they get the idea." Indeed, the other occupants of the room had tensed when Amaterasu began her display, especially the guards at Koenma's sides. The corners of the sun goddess's mouth twitched, fighting off a smirk as she sat down, more relaxed. Even when taken out of her element, she's still got it.

Koenma, regaining his composure, cleared his throat and addressed the wolf,

"It is good to finally meet you, Okami Amaterasu." He looked beyond her, "Good to see you all again as well." he said to Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei and Kurama. The short-statured prince focused back on the wolf, as he stood on his chair and stepped onto his desk, "You've been causing quite a stir around here. First, with arriving unannounced, to dropping off the radar entirely, and then starting a fight with my detectives over there." He gestured to said detectives in the back, who remained silent. It was here that the prince's monologue was interrupted by a tiny yet attention-commanding voice.

"Hey! It wasn't like they were acting like ambassadors for peace themselves, you know!" The green glow reminded everyone of his presence once again.

"Oh, forgive me Prince Koenma, I forgot to introduce Issun as well." Botan apologized.

"No need for that babe, I can handle this one myself." Issun began bouncing around between the goddess's ears to be easily seen. "I'm Issun, wandering artist, professional swordsman, and soon to be master of all thirteen Celestial Brush techniques! I'll be acting as furball's translator for the time being, seeing as she doesn't talk for herself." He bounced down to the end of his friend's nose. "And we take offense at where this conversation is going. It wasn't our fault that the Spirit Gate dumped us here!" He ceased bouncing for a moment and continued, seemingly to himself, "Granted, we weren't really sure where it would take us in the first place..." he returned his attention to the surprised prince, "But we know it was no accident! Somehow, somewhere, we're needed! And wether you like it or not, it's Ammy's duty as the goddess of the sun to help those in need!" He topped his speech off by dramatically unsheathing his sword and holding it aloft in the air. After a second or two of holding that position, he put Denkomaru back and waited for Koenma to respond.

"...Yes... Well, forgive us for being... cautious." The prince said from his position on the desk. "We've all been on edge due to certain... _problems_ lately, and you understand that someone who so easily passed through our systems and claims to be an ancient god has to be taken with a grain of salt." He jumped down from his position at the edge of his desk to the floor. His guards were about to protest, but he silenced anything they were about to say with a wave of his hand. As he walked towards the seated goddess he continued, "I am willing to believe what you have to say. But in the interest of security, we will have to put you under a quarantine here in Spirit World. Guards!"

With that, the guards moved towards the white wolf, and she jumped up, bristling and growling at the advancing ogres.

"Woah, Wait-! Now wait just a moment here!" Issun's protests from atop his friend's cranium went ignored as they grew closer. The white wolf snarled, reflector flaring bright. Amaterasu didn't want to start a fight of course, but she wanted to be kept prisoner even less.

"Prince Koenma, is this really necessary?" Botan recoiled, obviously taken aback by his decision.

"Now just hold your damn horses here, Koenma," Yusuke finally decided to step in before things got messy. "You don't have to go all gung-ho on the dog now. It clearly doesn't want to go crazy and kill everyone or anything. I mean, we led it right to you and it didn't do anything! Just lay off it, alright?" he negotiated.

"Yes, it's true. Even as we fought, it was obvious she held back so she wouldn't really hurt us," Kurama added, backing him up. "There surely must be another way to handle the situation, without going to such extremes."

"Yeah, what they said! Listen to them, they're telling the truth!" Issun beseeched from between the angry goddess's ears. At these appeals, Koenma held up a hand, halting the guards instantly. He seemed to give a great deal of thought to their words, and all occupants waited with baited breath for his decision.

"...Very well." Koenma walked back to his chair behind his desk and sat down. He interlocked his fingers and rested his chin atop them. "But only under a few conditions." He continued. "One: you-" he pointed to Amaterasu, "are to remain with either at least one member of my detectives or Genkai at all times. Should you be attempt to escape, you will be tracked down and brought into custody and quarantine immediately. Two: you-" he gestured to all the Reikai Tantei, "_will_ monitor and report anything you find odd happening to or around our guests. If what they say is true and their help is needed, we'll need all the info we can get on them and any potential threat. Three: I will be checking in on you all every once in a while, either by sending someone like Botan or someone else to do so. Is that all clear?"

Yusuke groaned, but nodded. The others followed suit and agreed as well. Amaterasu finally calmed down and they briefly exchanged a few more words before heading out to return to the Mortal Realm, discussing the meeting as they exited.

* * *

Unbeknownst to The Detectives and Koenma, someone had been listening in on their entire conversation behind the closed office doors of Koenma's room. The big eared spy who heard their whole discussion had stood near the doors and pretended to organize files so no one would suspect him of his true intentions. Why would they? To the other busy members of the bustling workplace, he was just another face in the crowd. As the doors to the Prince's private office opened and the guests walked out, the spy turned his face away and tried to blend in to the background as much as possible. He could not afford any suspicion now.

_'I must bring this news to my master immediately,'_ the being thought as he tried as casually as possible to slip away to report back to his master.

The Spirit Gate was not mistaken. This world would without doubt need the assistance of the sun goddess soon.

* * *

Full Author's Note: Man, it's been a while. But I'd like to keep continuing this. The updates will be sporadic, but still. There's a more detailed explanation up on my profile if you want to read it. I'd also like to thank all those who have reviewed and stuck with this story, even though it's been two years since the last chapter. :)

(Oh, and to Servant of K-sama, I do know that Amaterasu was based on the actual Japanese god. Please give me a little credit. I mean really, if someone came up to you on the street and said, "I'm the actual _REAL_ mighty Zeus, god of thunder. Believe me!" you'd have your doubts right?)


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Notes: See full author's notes at the end of the chapter.

Rating: T

Fandom: Okami/Yu Yu Hakusho crossover

Pairing(s): None

Warning(s): Mild language

Disclaimer: See first chapter

* * *

The odd group was returned safely to the Human Realm just outside their city by Botan, where they gave her their farewells. After she left, a tense discussion was held between the four detectives about what to do with the goddess now that she was under their surveillance. Yusuke wanted to dump her on Genkai as they got along fairly well, but Kurama pointed out that her residence was quite a distance from any of their homes, and would be a chore to keep an eye on her as well as keeping up with their everyday duties. Kurama couldn't take care of her now due to his mother being allergic to animals, though he said she would be leaving for an extended trip soon. Hiei was out of the question for now due to his being homeless, which left the final decision between Yusuke and Kuwabara. After a quick argument and a rock-paper-scissors game, Kuwabara was left with first watch of Amaterasu and Issun.

It was well past sunset by the time the four finished their debating, so they all agreed to meet again tomorrow before going their separate ways. Kuwabara led his new charges through the less populated areas of the city to avoid attention to the apartment he shared with his sister. Though he first explained where he was taking them as they began their trek, Kuwabara had been guiding the pair in silence for a while now, and to him at least it was an awkward silence. He cleared his throat, hoping that a way to break the tension would come to him soon.

* * *

Amaterasu herself was feeling more comfortable than the human, but had noticed how quiet her dear companion had become. She had been sure that the tiny creature seated on her head would pester the young man leading them with endless questions as soon as he had the opportunity to do so. The wolf twitched her ears to catch Issun's attention and whined very quietly in question when she did. He peered over her brow and read the concern in her eyes.

"Oh, don't you worry buddy," he whispered to her , "I'm just thinking some things over. I'm fine!" To convince her, he finally spoke up to the Spirit Detective. "So, Kuwabara! It's Kuwabara, right?" The addressed looked down at them. "Is there anything else special we should know about this place? Like I said before, it's waaay bigger than I'm used to, not to mention what my country-bumpkin of a friend here is used to."

Amaterasu made a noise of disapproval at the jab, but kept quiet to see if Issun got an answer. Kuwabara hesitated, thinking of what to say, then responded,

"Uh... Well, I'm not sure how things were run where you come from, but around here people aren't used to seeing a huge dog walking around alone; they'll get scared and call the police or something. That's why we're taking the long way home." He paused in thought, "And I'm not really sure how my sister's going to react to a new 'pet' right now, so when we get there just lay low, alright?" He stopped again and studied the goddess, suddenly looking nervous, "Umm... she... doesn't eat cats, right?"

* * *

After assuring Kuwabara that his precious cat, Eikichi, would be safe from harm, the trio carried on their way to the apartment, with Issun asking questions and getting answers from their guide. When they finally arrived at his doorstep, Kuwabara gingerly unlocked the bolt and tiptoed his way in to the darkened room, encouraging that the wolf and Poncle close at his heels do the same. They had barely closed the door behind them when a light was abruptly flicked on, freezing the three in their place. Guiltily, Kuwabara turned to his sister, sitting in a chair next to a lamp, cat purring in her lap, her fingers arched delicately in front of her mouth, and her gaze suspicious.

"Kazuma," she began, looking straight into Kuwabara's face, "You're home late. Had some business to take care of?" Her eyes flicked down to Amaterasu, who stood behind the Spirit Detective. "I see you've brought some company."

"Eh... Hey, Shizuru..." Kuwabar sheepishly greeted. "I thought you would've been asleep by now. I'd have explained everything by tomorrow morning. Honest!"

The woman's eyes narrowed, silently accusing him.

"Oh, come off it Shizuru!" Kuwabara groaned, trudging to the kitchenette to place his coat on the small dining table. Amaterasu did not move from her place, but sat down to observe the siblings from near the doorway.

Shizuru sighed, demeanor shifting from intimidating to concerned, "You know I like you to call if you're going to be late, Kazuma."

"Yeah, well, you don't have to give me the hell for every little thing. I'm a busy man! I even had to bring work home with me this time," he said, looking for food in one of their cabinets. The brown haired woman turned her attention back towards the white wolf.

"Yes, I can see that." She moved Eikichi off her lap and on the ground and strode toward the goddess to inspect her. Amaterasu remained still, willing Issun to stay silent. Shizuru crouched down in front of her to ask, "And what is this beautiful white wolf with such vivid red markings hanging around you for?" Amaterasu sat up a little straighter, looking right into the tired eyes that looked back at her. She did not expect another mortal to see her true form. Shizuru held out her hand for Amaterasu to smell, which she did. Approving, the wolf nudged her hand and Shizuru started petting her.

"_She's_ the reason I was so late today," Kuwabara said accusingly while walking up behind his sister, a few snacks in hand.

Issun, hidden in the fur behind his friend's ear this whole time, peeked out from behind his hiding place.

"You can see Ammy's true form?" he asked, truly surprised. "Dang, I definitely was not expecting that. Heck, even most of the residents back home can't see Ammy for what she is. How'd you know?"

"Oh, I see you've got a friend with you. You're just full of surprises, aren't you?" Shizuru stated. "I've got heightened spiritual awareness, like my brother. We can see what is invisible to most people around here. It's part of the reason why Kazuma was picked to do the job he does. But while he goes around fighting, I have to stay here and worry about him all day."

"Give me a break, sis," Kuwabara grumbled, sitting down next to his sister. He dropped the contents of his arms onto the floor. "Okay, I'm not sure what you guys eat, and all we really have for animals is cat food, so I'm hoping some noodles will do for now. Pick your favorite." The variety wasn't wide, but both Amaterasu and Issun's stomachs made their hunger known, and the two quickly settled for the familiar plain flavor and patiently waited with Kuwabara around a table while Shizuru prepared the meal for three (four if you count a certain wandering artist). Now that the initial awkwardness had passed, Issun started asking whatever questions popped into his head for either of the siblings to answer when they could, with Amaterasu listening intently, occasionally nuzzling the purring cat that had settled herself by the wolf's leg. He asked about the assorted appliances they had around their apartment, from the lamp, stove, fridge, coffee machine, radio, and the things Issun found most interesting: the T.V. and telephone. Those two were the most difficult things to explain, as Kuwabara had never exactly thought too hard about their technical aspects, having grown up with them around. Before he could get too flustered trying to describe how they worked, Shizuru placed their food in front of them and they quickly began eating.

The conversation shifted around to the odd pair's homeworld, with Issun describing everything from quaint little Kamiki to the shape-shifting villagers of Kamui, which led them into how they got to where they are.

"So you really don't know why that doorway dumped you here?" Shizuru asked, bowl empty.

"Nope. Though that old woman – what was her name again, Ammy? Oh right - Genkai seems to think it's important. Whatever it is, we're here now, and we'll do what we can to help," Issun answered. Kuwabara put his hand to his chin, recalling something.

"Amaterasu... when we fought when we me and the guys first met you, and what Genkai said earlier about the whole 'control over wind, fire, water, and all that junk... Can you really do all that?" Kuwabara asked.

"Of course she can! She's the great goddess of the sun, like I've been telling you all along. She can do anything!" Issun answered for the deity. "Don't you have gods in this world?"

"Well, sure, I guess... but not in the same way, I think. There's religions of all sorts on this whole planet. Here in Japan there _is_ Shinto, which does have a goddess named Amaterasu, and she's also the goddess of the sun. But she's not a wolf who fights with ink, as far as I remember..." Issun started at Kuwabara's referral to the 'other' Amaterasu,

"Wait a minute – you guys _knew_ who Ammy was as soon as you heard her name and you didn't _say_ anything about it?!" he demanded, "What the heck, man!" Kuwabara held up his hands in defense.

"Hey now, we didn't know you were the real deal here! We've had to fight demons who claimed to be gods before, we thought you were doing the same thing." The red head continued his case, "Besides, it's not like you introduced yourselves right away either. You seemed pretty ready to fight right from the start." These facts appeared to stop Issun's tantrum for now, and he folded his arms and sat back down on Amaterasu's head, mumbling to himself. He looked down at his furry friend, a quizzical look on his face.

"It'd be a pretty strange coincidence to have a goddess in two worlds who have the same name and rule the same things but have them be totally independent of each other, wouldn't it? Can you shed a little light on us, Ammy?" Issun asked, head held up by his fists now as he looked down the brow of the wolf. Amaterasu absently nodded, already deep in thought from this new information. Though she had regained many of her memories, there was still so much of her own history she did not know. Heavy concentration brought flashes of images of a world that was so like Kamiki, yet was definitely _different_ somehow, to the front of her mind. The place was so strangely familiar, yet she could not concentrate on it long enough put her paw down. She tried to communicate this to Issun, huffing and whuffing while stamping her paw down on the ground a few times, hoping she got her meaning across effectively enough to put into words.

"Uh-huh... Yeah, okay... Okay... Right." Issun roughly translated for her, "She says that... her memories aren't all back and it's hard to say... but there is a – she can _maybe_ recall one thing that she can _maybe_ place here. But it was a long time ago...? Looked like home? And it... Okay, Ammy, slow down, I can't keep up!" Issun threw his tiny arms into the air and Amaterasu puffed a few more times before giving up. It wasn't everything she wanted to say, but he basically stated her message correctly. She huffed in thanks to her tiny companion, knowing it wasn't always easy to interpret complex messages for her.

"Hmm... well, Koenma did sort of say something over the communicator that made it sound like he recognized you, and Genkai said things about myths and stuff. Maybe you _were_ here for a while but you can't remember it because of that long sleep you had," Kuwabara surmised, leaning back on his hands.

Before they could contemplate anything more, Shizuru stood up and announced she was going to bed. "I suggest you all do the same." She looked up at the clock on their wall that read 1:13 in the morning . "It's late and it sounds like you all have some important things to do tomorrow. Get some sleep and do your detective-ing later." She smiled and picked up the bowls to put in the sink before disappearing down the hall into her own room. Kuwabara agreed, and showed his two guests down the hall.

"I think I'm supposed to keep you guys as close as possible, so I hope you don't mind sleeping in my room. I'll go grab some extra blankets and pillows for you," he offered. After changing clothes, the young man arranged the items in what he hoped was acceptable as bedding at the end of his own bed. Issun and Amaterasu, however, didn't seem to mind the modest conditions.

"Wow, thanks! Me and Ammy usually don't get to sleep indoors. Don't get me wrong, I think sleeping under the stars is as invigorating and refreshing as the next guy, but getting some shut-eye indoors every once in a while while you're on an adventure just can't be beat," he said as his four-legged friend settled herself in by walking in circles as canines do before plopping herself down, eyes closed in contentment.

"Glad you guys like it." Kuwabara pulled his sheets back a climbed under as Eikichi jumped to her usual spot at the foot of the bed. "Goodnight." With that, he rolled over and fell asleep within minutes, more worn out from the day than he let on. While Amaterasu had lowered her head onto the floor, ready to sleep, Issun seemed restless, laying down with eyes wide open from his usual sleeping spot on his companion's back. He whispered to his friend,

"Ammy, you asleep yet?" The wolf opened one eye and twitched one ear. "I just can't. It's so much to take in! A whole other world that you may or not be connected to that's almost exactly like our own – but it's not! How crazy is that? Really, how could anyone sleep after a day like this?" Amaterasu answered him by softly huffing and closing her eye. "All right, all right. I'll try to keep it down. But still, this is so amazing! You can understand why I'm excited, right?" She didn't answer. Issun rolled back onto his back, hands behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling, the gears in his head still cranking with questions. Eventually though, he too grew weary and fell asleep on the goddesses' back, still dreaming of the new world and all of its treasures.

* * *

Elsewhere, a shadowy figure sat in his throne, ruminating on the information one of his spies had just delivered him. He smirked, knowing his plan was going smoothly. All the pieces were falling in place. All he had to do was prepare a few more things and he could act. Soon, he would have what he wanted, and nothing could stop him, not Spirit World, not their detectives, not even gods.

* * *

A/N: Holy Hell I'm back. It's been over a year and I'm posting a new chapter. Cripes. Anyway, it's still painfully obvious that I'm a visual artist and not a writer, but hey, I gotta do something else when I can't draw. I've been inspired recently by a friend's writings, so who knows, I may actually make a new chapter more often than once a year. No promises though. Anyway, I'm more active on my deviantart and tumblr, so if you want to see my drawings check my profile for links. I'll probably be back later to fix any mistakes I missed in my first read-through; don't be afraid to point any out or ask any questions in a review. Ok I'm going to go back into hiding now bye


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